PORTLAND, Ore. — A published children’s author from Portland has been charged with a variety of child pornography offenses. Kevin Patrick Bath, 50, who writes under the name K.P. Bath, was arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court on an indictment charging him with one count each of distributing, transferring, and receiving child pornography, and two counts of possessing child pornography. He entered pleas of not guilty to each count. Trial is set for June 9, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty.

Kevin Patrick Bath – photo from kpbath.com

Each of the charges in the indictment is a felony. Each count of distributing, transferring, and receiving child pornography carries a sentence of five to twenty years imprisonment. Each count of possessing child pornography carries a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment.

Bath came to the attention of federal law enforcement authorities after investigators determined that he had been actively trading child pornography with individuals in the states of Washington and Ohio. A forensic examination of Bath’s computer and data storage media revealed well over 100 video files and thousands of still images of child pornography. Many of the videos graphically depicted the sexual abuse of very young children.

“Images of children being sexually abused is not a victimless crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut. “The children shown in these reprehensible images are victimized not only when the images are created, but every time the images are traded and viewed.”

“Some who traffic in child pornography falsely believe that the anonymity of cyberspace shields them from scrutiny. In fact, the Internet has given us new tools in our enforcement efforts to protect children,” said Leigh Winchell, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Investigations that oversees Oregon. “Ice will aggressively investigate and arrest those who engage in that type of activity.”

During the detention hearing, the court prohibited Bath from having contact with children pending trial. Bath had previously served as a volunteer at a local children’s library.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Sussman, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the District of Oregon.